Spreader.



J. HARKER.

SPREADER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12, 1914.

Paten ted Feb. 22, 1916.

1R 1 1 200 as M I PAT F JOHN BARKER, OF KENDALLVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO ALONZO R. COLE, OF KENDALLVILLE, INDIANA.

SPREADER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, rate.

Application filed November 12, 1914. Serial No. 871,655.

To all whom it 921 any concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN HARKER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Kendallville, Noble county, Indiana, have invented new and useful Spreaders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for scattering particles of material.

This invention has utility when incorporated as a spreader, say in connection with a vehicle operated as a manure spreader or fertilizer distributor.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a manure spreader, having the invention herein 1ncorporated in connection therewith; Fig. 2 is a view looking from the rear toward the vehicle, showing the spreader only; and Fig.

3 is a fragmentary view, at 90 from the showing in Fig. 2, of a spiral element of shovel of the scroll means of the spreader.

The manure spreader is shown as comprising the vehicle having the body 1 supported by the wheels 2, one of which back Wheels 2 in traveling, may through the gear 3 drive the pinion 4 actuating the sprocket wheel 5 connected by the sprocket chain 6 to rotate the sprocket Wheel 7 on the shaft 8 carrying the kickers or distributers 9 for loosening up the particles of material working theretoward from the vehicle, as by the apron 10 running theretoward as an endless conveyer in bringing back the manure loaded into the body 1 of the vehicle. Fast on the shaft 8 is the sprocket wheel 11 actuating the chain 12 to rotate the sprocket wheel 13 fast on the shaft 14 of the rotary spreader, disposed by the brackets 15 to the rear of and a little above the distributer, and parallel with the distributer 9.

Set screws 16 serve to lock the connecting means or central brackets 17 diametrically of each other in the desired position axially spaced along the shaft 14. These central brackets 17 support the central minimum pitch portions 18 of the spiral elements of the scroll means spaced from the shaft to permit of ready longitudinal adjustment as Well as assisting in maximum fling in the self clearing rotations as the high velocity ribbon strikes the material. Each end of each spiral element is supported by a bracket 19, adj ustably locked along the shaft 14 by a set screw 16. Each of the brackets is disposed at the back of the pliable or flexible shovel element, thereby leaving a clear Working face for effective non-clogging throw of the particles, while the brackets in extending the full width of the elements, give such strength to these light spirals that they stand up under extreme usage. The face of the brackets 17 establishes a less pitch for the intermediate portions of the axially coincident spaced spiral elements, while the face of the end brackets 19 (Flg. 3) is of considerably greater pitch. The face pitch of these brackets 19, as well as adjustment of these brackets 19 further from the brackets 17, may progressively vary the pitch of the spiral elements. In operatron this increased pitch section 20 serves to spread orscatter the freely thrown recelvedparticles beyond the axial extent of the spiral elements in the radial distribution. Advantage is taken of this fact in the central spacing of the elements, the spread therebetween working uniform distribution, while at the outer ends there is given increased range of throw considerably beyond the width of the body 1, and this may be so controlled that the extreme range is a little thinner distribution to be overlapped in the return travel of the spreader and thereby uniformly cover the field.

The spreader is self freeing in every respect, easily operated, and possible of ad- ]ustment and installation to meet even exceptional conditions for uniform scattering of material.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. A. spreader device embodving supportmg means, and carried thereby a plurality of rotatable spiral shovels formed of pliable material and having their extremities adjustable and capable of movement axially one relatively to the other.

2. A spreader device embodying a shaft, a plurality of spiral shovels disposed around the shaft, and means for connecting the extremities of such shovels to the shaft, such connecting means being capable of movement lengthwise of the shaft. 1

3. A rotatable'spreader shaft. a pluralitv of spiral shovels formed of pliable material and having their extremities adiustablv connected with the shaft and capable of movement one relative to the other, and additional means for adiustably connecting the central portion of the shovels to the shaft,

the intermediate portions of the shovels being free of the shaft.

4. A device of the character described in cluding a shaft and a spiral shovel formed of pliable material having its extremities adjustably connected with such shaft and capable of movement one relative to the other, 4

5. Mechanism for scattering particles of freely thrown material embodying a lateral particle receiving rotary spreader including a pair of spaced, axially alined', oppositely pitched, radial delivery scrolls, each com-' prising a single spiral element, a rotatable support for the elements, and means for mounting the elements in spaced relation as to the support to assist in a uniform long range distribution of the delivered particles.

- JOHN HARKER.

Witnesses:

HELEN NEBELUNG, FRANCES O. Snoox. 

